chapter 97

—I’ve been bullied in the past .

I was the type of child that would sit in the corner of the classroom alone and draw manga .

And then, when I was around 6th year in primary school I was hospitalized for half a year due to lung disease .

It wasn’t a serious condition however, it was a bit of a complicated disease so to recover completely I needed to completely rest… Such was the step taken .

So, I always drew pictures in my sketchbook even in the hospital room .

I had nothing else to do so if I could just draw then it was fine, well it certainly was more enjoyable than going to school and being bullied…

And then, a certain day after two weeks passing from hospitalization .

“Oi, you . ”

A girl from the next bed to mine had called me out .

She was three years older than me… She was in her 2nd year of junior high school . She should’ve been one year younger than my Onii-chan .

“What?”

“Aren’t you tired of drawing every day?”

“I’m not tired . ”

“Fuun… Can you let me see it?”

She received my sketchbook, and flipped the pages that were filled with words .

“Anime sketchings… is it?”

“Strange, isn’t it? Everyone in class is saying it’s gross . ”

“No, I don’t think that . ”

“Why?”

“You like this, don’t you?”

“I do . ”

“I won’t berate something which people love seriously . ”

I felt my heart throbbing fast and it like it was grabbed by those words .

“But, I’m extremely clumsy and I’m being made fun of by everyone in class . ”

“Despite that, you didn’t quit drawing . You didn’t give up on what you loved . Am I wrong?”

After thinking for a bit, I said .

“Well, it ended up like that somehow . ”

She said with a huge smile to my words .

“I think that’s worthy of admiration . ”

“But, I’m extremely clumsy? I think that I have no talent either . ”

“Talent… Hey, what’s your name?”

I thought for a bit and then I told her my name .

“It is Morishita Maria . ”

“Hey, Maria-chan?”

“Don’t quit what you love . Isn’t that what people call talent?”

My heart was once again grabbed .

「……」

“Tears? Hey, what’s wrong?”

That’s right, somehow from her words I was filled with emotions and tears came out .

“Nobody had said that to me…”

“Un…”

“If I say my feelings honestly now… I think I’m happy…”

“Is that so?”

「……」

「……」

“Ehm, Onee-san? What’s your name?”

“Maki… Sakanoue Maki . ”

“Is it okay to call you Maki-ane from now won?”

There may have been a rise in my tension .

Truthfully, I was happy .

Anyhow, I said those words to Sakanoue .

After that .

Several days later, I found that Maki-ane has leukemia .

Her condition was considerably bad and then three months later she had to be placed in the ICU .

I can say that reality is stranger than novels because after several days of being discharged from the hospital I was met with a traffic accident .

I was hit by a truck and crashed my abdomen on the guardrail several dozen meters behind me .

I checked that my internal organs were broken and I was aware of death looming, and then—-

Before my eyes the God of Death appeared .

“Kishishi… I’m Domin, mokyu . If you become a magical girl then I can save the current you . ”

A bear mascot-like doll… No, there was clearly a mascot standing .

“Now, do you want to live, moki? Or do you want to die, moki?”

The mascot was smiling adorably .

I saw my own abdomen—My internal organs had been spilled out and it wouldn’t be long .

Now, this is disturbing .

What’s disturbing, it’s the numbness spreading from the abdomen without feeling pain .

Aah, this is not good .

I’ve already gone past where pain is the indicator that your life is in danger .

That’s why, numbness is being signaled to the brain .

Due to that goosebumps ran up my whole body .

Basically, I understood that certainly death was nearing .

While spitting blood I spoke .

“I want to live… I . . don’t want… to die yet . ”

“Do you understand that you’ll live as a Magical Girl?”

I don’t know at all what he’s talking about .

Even… If this is the devil’s contract .

I nodded clearly to the mascot that called himself Domin .

“I’ve heard and will fulfill your wish . From today onwards you’re a Magical Girl . ”

At the same time the mascot Domin finished talking my internal organs that should’ve been spilled out were restored in a blink of an eye, and then—

—I don’t understand how much time has passed but, a girl that appeared all of a sudden at the traffic incident and was looking at the collapsed me sadly .

“Maki…ane?”

“You came to this world, too . ”

“How? Maki-ane’s leukemia…”

*Furu, furu* Maki-ane shook her head left and right .

“Yeah, certainly to the public I’ve achieved a miraculous recovery . But, the reality is… I’ve survived in exchange for bargaining my soul away to the Devil… Is what it is . ”

“Devil?”

Maki-ane was looking at the Mascot Domin like it was filth .

“Haha, I’m the Devil? That is unthinkable . You do remember that I saved your life?”

“You appall me . Those who know the importance of life are why they are so attached to it . That’s why you scouted me when I was being sent to the terminal room . ”

“Hey, hey, rather than won’t you give a lecture to the new recruit?”

Maki-ane made an indescribable expression .

“There’s that, too . Welcome to the world of Magical Girls—”

Maki-ane shook her head left and right in acceptance .

“No, to the world of human shuras . ”

She said only that and laughed sadly .